The advantages of dental flossing are well-known. Flossing dislodges existing plaque, and inhibits further formation of plaque on teeth and gums. Regular flossing also inhibits the onset of periodontal (gum) disease, which can result in premature loss of teeth. Despite these widely known benefits, however, it is estimated that no more than 10% of the American public regularly flosses its teeth. Thus, it is in the health interest of the public to discover new devices and methods that would encourage regular flossing.
Some of the reasons for irregular flossing may be attributable to the containers in which dental floss is currently dispensed. Typically, these containers are small, plastic boxes or cylinders containing from twenty-five to one hundred yards of floss on a spool. The plastic boxes have a hinged lid which may be opened to reveal both the free end of the spooled floss and a floss-cutting anvil. The plastic containers generally include an anvil and a discharge hole along the perimeter or side wall of that container. While generally suitable for their purpose, these small boxes tend to be hidden from view and also tend to be overlooked or misplaced, thereby attributing to the non-use of dental floss by consumers.
Some manufacturers of dentifrice or mouthwash have tried to make dental floss containers more prominent and readily available. For example, manufacturers are known to have dental floss in its normal box-shaped or cylindrical containers attached with banding to a toothpaste tube or mouthwash bottle. However, in order to use the dental floss, its container must typically be removed from the tube or bottle. Thus, any such banding would only remind the user of the need for flossing the first time the toothpaste or mouthwash is used. Thereafter, because the floss container is detached from the tube or bottle, it is as likely to be overlooked or misplaced as any other conventional floss container.
Other manufacturers have attempted to provide solutions to these and other problems. Among them are those disclosed U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,050,560; 1,849,769; 1,733,114; 3,830,247; 4,019,522; 4,428,389; 4,673,106; 4,796,783; 4,827,951 and 4,865,481.
However, prior to the present invention, a need existed for a floss dispensing closure to a dentifrice or oral wash container in which the cover to the closure is integrally hinged to the closure. A need existed for a floss dispensing closure which diverts a segment of floss through the neck of an oral wash container to rinse the floss segment with oral wash.